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What is the National Highway System?
It is approximately 160,000 miles (256,000 kilometers) of roadway important
to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility. The National Highway System (NHS)
includes the following subsystems of roadways (note that a specific highway
route may be on more than one subsystem):
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Interstate : The Eisenhower
Interstate System of highways retains its separate identity within the
NHS.
-
Other Principal Arterials: These are
highways in rural and urban areas which provide access between an
arterial and a major port, airport, public transportation facility, or
other intermodal transportation facility.
-
Strategic Highway Network(STRAHNET):
This is a network of highways which are important to the United
States' strategic defense policy and which provide defense access,
continuity and emergency capabilities for defense purposes.
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Major Strategic Highway Network Connectors:
These are highways which provide access between major military installations
and highways which are part of the Strategic Highway Network.
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Intermodal Connectors: These highways provide
access between major intermodal facilities and the other four subsystems
making up the National Highway System. A listing of all official NHS
Intermodal Connectors is available
here
The National Highway System (NHS) includes the Interstate Highway
System as well as other roads important to the nation's economy,
defense, and mobility. The NHS was developed by the Department of
Transportation (DOT) in cooperation with the states, local officials,
and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs).
Why a National Highway System?
The 1996 Spring Issue of Public Roads has an article
titled The
National Highway System: A COMMITMENT TO AMERICA'S FUTURE by the
former FHWA Administrator, Rodney Slater. This article gives the basis
for the National Highway System.
You can view state maps of the National Highway System.
The hard copy NHS maps are complemented by an electronic version
that can be displayed using a web-based mapping application, the
NHS Viewer, accessible through a standard web browser, such
as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. The
NHS viewer allows you to display the NHS at a statewide level
as well as zoom into an NHS segment or local area of interest. As you
zoom in a more detailed street network will appear in the background
providing orientation to the geographic location of the NHS segment of
concern.
The web address for the NHS Viewer is
http://hepgis.fhwa.dot.gov/hepgis_v2/Highway/Map.aspx
NHS Approval process
NHS Procedures procedures for system actions on
the National Highway System.
NHS Update
The primary emphasis of this review is to validate and update the
NHS intermodal connectors, verifying connector mileages and connector
route descriptions, and adding or deleting connectors as justified.
The secondary emphasis is to conduct a general review of the NHS
mainline, including examining the STRAHNET.
(more)
Interstate Frontage Roads
Interstate Frontage Roads are generally not part of the Interstate
or NHS but there are exceptions and other material concerns related to
the
Interstate Frontage Road issue.
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